OUR STORY BEGINS IN
New York City, 2009
The year is 2009 and we have a huge kiosk right next to the Yankee Museum, as an official vendor of baseball cards and vintage memorabilia. We met many great Yankees and their families at this kiosk over the years. It was here that I found friendship with the wonderful, Linda Ruth Tosetti, the granddaughter of the great Babe Ruth, I even played on the field with Andy Petite, Joe Girardi, and other players after the games.
2009 was a big year, it’s the year we started at the stadium, the year the Yankees won the world series, it was a great honor to be there.
THE IDEA
Flash forward a few years; I began thinking about the importance/high demand for popcorn and candy in baseball game culture. I realized that I wanted to be a part of it, to create something completely new and of importance, but what? Talk about the big ban on chewing tobacco that had come to the minor leagues and how it was inevitably coming to the big leagues was fluctuating throughout the players. Someone had said to me “if you can find a replacement for chewing tobacco you would make a million dollars” and that was it the idea, make a candy replacement.
LICORICE
I searched for 2 1/2 years to find the best licorice and it was located in Australia. Australia is one of the top places in the world for licorice.
The big difference is it’s soft and pliable with a long-lasting flavor. Makes for delicious candy and perfect for ballplayers who wanted to eliminate chewing and dip tobacco and it keeps the mouth moist while Playing ball.
After receiving exclusive licensing and approval from the players we well as the Ruth family Long Ball licorice was born.
